Toyota opens training centre up to supply chain

Toyota opened its Apprentice Development Centre in Burnaston, Derbyshire to non-Toyota companies after partnering with Semta, which is engineering skills for the future, the National Apprenticeship Service and Burton and South Derbyshire College. A pilot project saw 21 new recruits begin a four year apprenticeship last September. The programme has proved so successful that there are plans to increase the intake numbers for September 2014. A series of events for employers is planned at the plant in Burnaston, Derbyshire in February with potential recruits being matched with employers during National Apprenticeship Week in March. The company has written to all its supply chain companies while Semta and the National Apprenticeship Service will promote the opportunities to other engineering companies. Mark Evans, Toyota Manufacturing UK's, recruitment section manager, said: "We developed a working group to ensure the training being provided is shaped to be relevant and bespoke, addressing the training needs that are required by our partners. "We supported the seven companies throughout the selection and recruitment process, six of these hiring apprentices for the very first time. Together we assessed and interviewed candidates, comparing them against the key competences we would look for when recruiting our own apprentice." This year's Best Factory Awards (BFA) Conference on 19-20 March features a tour of Toyota Burnaston. For details, call Julie Knox on 01322 221144 or email jknox@findlay.co.uk